The new class of inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been announced, and it includes rockers, the Queen of Disco, a group of hip hop pioneers and a band whose fans have long been clamoring for the honor.

In the performer category, Heart, Albert King, Randy Newman, Public Enemy, Rush and Donna Summer will receive the prestigious induction. Lou Adler and Quincy Jones will receive the Ahmet Ertegun Award, which is given to non-performers.

A few of those selected to be part of the 2013 group had been nominated before, but none have had the fan support for entry into the hallowed Hall of Fame as first time nominees Rush. The band had been eligible for nomination for the past 14 years.

Member Alex Lifeson told CNN after the group was nominated back in October that the honor meant a great deal to his group's fan base.

"For our fans, it's very, very important, and we feel great for them," he said. "We're at the next stage and we'll see if we're actually inducted. If so, we'll support it in every way we can for our fans."

The family of the late "Queen of Disco" Donna Summer expressed their gratitude. "We are overjoyed the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame has recognized Donna's tremendous musical achievements," the family said in a statement. "It's an honor we know she quietly hoped for and would very much cherish. We are deeply grateful."

Ann Wilson from Heart attended the announcement with her sister and bandmate Nancy, and said their inclusion as inductees left her feeling "somewhat surreal at the moment, I'm still trying to soak up the reality of it."

This kind of acknowledgment "is so satisfying," she went on, because it means "that we are not the tree falling in the woods ... [W]e're out there working and doing shows, traveling [and] writing, for years and years and this means that we've been noticed."

Super-producer and composer Quincy Jones, who has worked with a multitude of artists, from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson, said he was humbled by the honor. "I was very blessed to work with almost every major artist in the last 50 years in America and you can't plan that, not to say I knew that was gonna happen, and I'm grateful," Jones said.

To be eligible for a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination, artists had to have released their work at least 25 years prior to appearing on the ballot. That means this year's group released their first single in 1987 or earlier.

For the first time since 1993, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held on the West coast. The 28th annual event is scheduled for April 18 and will be held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. in Los Angeles, California.

The ceremony will be open to the ticket-buying public, and will air on HBO at 9 p.m. on May 18.

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Why on earth is Boston not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? They are much more deserving than numerous others such as Donovan, Randy Newman, The Small Faces and the Beastie Boys! Their debut album was one of the best (if not the best) debut albums of all time. Every single song from their debut album has been played on the radio countless times over the past 37 years. What a shame! Their second and third albums also had hits. It makes us rock fans sick.

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Chicago is the biggest snub in my mind. If commercial success is the major factor for getting in, they were the top US singles charting group during the 1970s. They have sold over 38 million units in the US, with 22 gold, 18 platinum, and 8 multi-platinum albums. Over the course of their career they have had five number-one albums and 21 top-ten singles.

You want influence or breaking new ground? Listen to the early Chicago and Chicago Transit Authority; unreal music that perfectly blended jazz, rock, and blues (and they did rock!). Who else of any note in rock had a full horn section as successfully as they did? You want musicianship? Terry Kath was one of the greatest guitarists in history. The guitar solo on 25 or 6 to 4 is mind blowing, and other great voices and great musicians throughout that band. They get a bad rap because after Kath died, the band was more known for its Cetera led ballads, but still a great band that stood the test of time. My understanding is that a long time grudge with one of the R-R HOF board members is keeping them out, which is pathetic. Almost as pathetic is that you see Public Enemy, Donna Summer, and bands that have been around half as long with half the success or influence getting inducted in (and some rightfully so). I personally won't visit the Hall of Fame or give it any creedence until this injustice is corrected.

Once again....Is this not the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? every year more and more are inducted, that have nothing to do with rock and roll. Heart, and Rush are most definately part of rock and roll history. Albert King is a blues legend, he might get a possible vote, due to the fact that without the blues, there would be no rock and roll. However, Public Enemy, as great as they were, come from hip-hop, not rock. Donna Summer, is the queen of disco, just because she dated Gene Simmons, does not make her worthy of induction to the rock and roll hall of fame. Then theres Randy Newman, an excellent song writer in his own rite, but he is more adult contemporary. Come on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there are many other rock legends out there that deserve it more.

Yeah, their recent sellout tours and recent album sales of Clockwork Angels really proves your point . Not to mention the fact that Rush is only third behind The Beatles and The Rolling Stones for the most consecutive gold or platinum studio albums by a rock band.

I could not agree more about Rush finally being inducted but by the same token it is a total embarrassment that Yes are still being ignored and these other very questionable names who have zero to do with rock in any form continue to be inducted.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame is a JOKE!! You got Jazz, Soul, Rap, and R&B. This is not Rock and Roll people! You got people inducted that should never be in there! Every year when I see the nominees I laugh my ass off. 2 % are Rock & Roll and all the others are throw ins by a group of pansies who think they know Rock & Roll. What a joke for the History of Rock & Roll.

Totally agree! In fact, if I were the Moodies, and were eventually invited, I would politely reject the award.
It means little if lesser acts precede the acknowledgment of your contribution. When I think of the what the Moody Blues added to rock (starting with songs in 1967 that are still awesome)...When I think of what they pioneered (melotron, etc.)...A pox on the HOF.

RUSH!!! It's about time!!! I'm glad you inducted them before their 40th anniversary!!! A true influential trio of musicians!!! You are missing one undoubtedly influential rock band and I'm in awe that you have not yet inducted them. DEEP PURPLE (Gillan's and Coverdale's)!!!!!!!!! HONOR RITCHIE BLACKMORE!!!

I have read in these comments numerous misstatements about Donna Summer. First, one said she "didn't record very many songs." Well...just from scanning a list of her 17 original LPs, it appears that there are hundreds of songs Summer recorded. And of course these don't include her on-LP recordings or the one or two she did to promote greatest hits packages. Another poster said she has "Nothing to do with rock." Well, she was nominated three times for best ROCK performance and won in 1979 for Hot Stuff...again best ROCK performance.

Exactly what do rap and rock and roll have in common. Public Enemy in the rap/hip hop hall of fame? Definitely. In the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? No. To be eligible for the RRHOF, your music should at least be classified as rock and roll.

Disco and hip-hop are both part of rock and roll, for they are both musically descended from the rock and roll revolution of the 1950s. Disco and hip-hop just happen to be more directly descended from the more non-guitar based than guitar-based, and from the more black-based than white-based, parts of the rock and roll revolution of the 1950s. There has been more diversity in rock and roll all along than some people give it credit for having.

no they are not. rock and roll is guitars,bass.drums and a singer. not a turntable and somebody talking fast nor is it somebody lip syncing and dancing. disco had people singing to music but that does not make it rock and roll.

The Rock & Roll HOF is not really a true Hall Of Fame. Because music is taste driven, it's impossible to have a true consensus of who the honorees should be. In football you can have two or three inductees each year that are unanimously agreed upon. A lot of bands are still playing that started put in the 60's and 70's, so it's impossible for you to get a complete scope of their work. I fully agree with Public Enemy being nominated, especially since solo careers were launched and their continued relevance. I think there should be public voting since music is such a independently valued art form. Having a group of ppl tell me that Rush, who has a great drummer but no real lyrical content, is worthy of the HOF is not really a service to the musical profession. Tool would be a better offering in that particular category.

I can only assume you've never read(or listened) to any Rush lyrics. Neil Peart's lyrics are some of the best in music. Or maybe it's that Neil's lyrics are too complex for you since the majority of them were inspired by literature. Public Enemy?? Not even close.

Really? Neil always pulls his lyrical ideas from literature, both classic and contemporary as well as personal experience, while employing real prose and complex wordplay and you think Public Ememy has real lyrical value! You are a simpleton who cannot grasp or appreciate what Rush is about both musically and lyrically.

Rush rocks on so many levels. Lyrically, musically, technically, arguably the best drummer/bassist in the world (Alex rocks also). If you only liked one aspect of Rush, that would be enough for them to warrant a spot in the HOF. THE MOST COMPLETE band. EVER!

A disservice to the music profession? No real lyrical content?
While I have no issue with Public Enemy, as a group or what individuals went on to do later, simply put, Rush packs more talent into one three hour performance than PE has demonstrated their entire career and there's more talent demonstrated in just one Rush song like "Natural Science" then anything released by PE.
The real shame is acts like Madonna, Public Enemy & Grand Master Flash being inducted before many much more deserving true rock acts.

IIt's amazing to me that a band like the Moody Blues who've been performing together since the mid 60s has yet to receive an invitation from the stodgy old Hall of Fame. Yet a fairly new group like Public Enemy has. As far as I'm concerned, the R & R Hall of Fame should be ashamed of itself! And actually, it's not really representative of rock n' roll at all, is it...

While all modern popular music is based on European folk music, there are many, many different genres that have influenced it over the years including: classical, blues, country, jazz, noise, heavy metal, punk, rap, hip-hop, electronica, etc, etc, etc. Really any kind of music is acceptable into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I agree that this American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is pretty much a joke. It's incredibly watered down and contains many people who shouldn't even be in there, but hey, it is what it is.

Grand Funk was a great band. They messed up some when they went commercial in the middle 70's, but all in all they are my favorite. I don't understand their picks this year at all. I don't think it will really matter much longer because we have moved away from Rock and into Pop.

By now, no one takes the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame seriously anymore. Disco Diva Donna Summer gets in this year while Connie Francis, the first big pop female star, with such a beautiful voice and many hits still hasn't??!! What a mess.

You're 100% correct. The fact that...KISS, Steve Miller Band, Deep Purple, Boston, Dire Straits, Guess Who, Journey, Styx, Cheap Trick, Jethro Tull – and a lot more. A Rock and Roll Hall of Fame without these acts is pretty much irrelevant. The R+RHOF is a joke. Madonna is in and these bands are not?

KISS – LOL. Being around for a long time doesn't qualify a band for induction. Creating good music is required and KISS's songs are just awful and always have been. I was in HS when they first hit and they were a joke then and time has not diminished that fact.

Steve Miller greatest hits...13 million albums sold plus great concept albums such as children of the future, brave new world, plus many hits such as living in the usa, space cowboy, gangster of love...Standard injustice

Donna Summer was the Queen of Disco and needs to be honored for that, but disco is NOT rock. A war was fought between rock and disco in the 70's and we thought rock won. Similar thoughts about Public Enemy.
Yes, they should be honored, but not here.

I am a rush fan and don't care about your comment –neither do i care they are in the RnR of fame–It is true that rush has a mostly male audience–But the girls that do show up are hot–Frankly, i don't care who is in the audience or who likes rush–i like rush because i like rush. When i want to get laid and i don't have a girlfriend i call up the brazialian escort service.

Your pucked man, Rush should have been there years ago, Kiss is a glamour band, they wouldn't know rock if they were hit by one, as for the other like Jethro Tull, Deep Purple, Steve Miller, your right about those acts, they should be there already. Donna Summer she doesn't belong there at all, she has nothing to do with Rock and Roll. All Hail Getty Lee, Alex Lifeson, and Niel Pert, been rocking for over forty years and still putting out new material, congradulations on the nomination guys.

Have been to more than 30 diff concerts, prob 70 bands, and i never seen anyone that sounded like you were listening to the album even in the late 70's, NONE, the band was dead on everytime. and all that full sound just a trio...

Amen! How this so called "Hall of Fame" continues to ignore the first of the innovators who used orchestral back up and took rock to another level amazes me. Everyone raves about Pink Floyd, and rightly so, but the Moodies were doing that type of rock first! And they are still rocking!

he was not there and we've know about mega for months now-we've know about california for months now
the only accuracy was the ip address last night which we killed-i don't care about 3 way...i just drive up the road.

What a fool! Nobody knows what you are talking about. Just go away! You post the lamest things that are a complete waste of time. I do apologize if you are a tard though...which appears to be pretty obvious....

I saw Alvin open for BTO of all bands. BTO got boo'd off the stage (I think they were the inspiration for Spinal Tap), and we wanted more Alvin Lee. I saw Lee walking around in the crowd for the few minutes BTO was on. This was at Cobo in Detroit in the 70's.

First, the Rock Hall is pretty meaningless: a vanity project run by its founder Jan Wenner and a miniscule group of his sycophants so don't expect fairness. This is pretty widely known in the industry. That said I cast my vote for one of the most underappreciated, overlooked, misunderstood and influential groups in history: The Tubes.

Yeah! Chicago was ground breaking, inventive, had about a million hits (which were self-penned) and continue to work non-stop all over the world, all the time. Isn't it about time for them to get recognized?

Public Enemy number one .Awwww they,picked a black group. I can c y u would say public enemy I thought the same thing but to say there goes the neighborhood and all these other racial slurs that u started first then when u get feed back u cant take it and say we playing the race card but u started it first .

Nice to see how accurate the museum's information is (see caption above) "...enjoyed popularity in the 1970's with songs like "Tom Sawyer" and "The Spirit of Radio"..." Tom Sawyer came out in 1981, and The Spirit of Radio in 1980. Guess they really were ahead of their time.

The most frustrating & indisputable element related to this article is the sloppy reporting, or at least the lack of editorial oversight, for which CNN allows. Albert King "...who died in 1922"?! That's curious, since Les Paul didn't cobble together his electric guitar until 1940, and Gibson didn't roll out their Flying V (King's trademark guitar) until 1958.

Also, Rush released "Tom Sawyer" and "The Spirit of Radio" in the '80s and not the '70s. No mention of "2112" which is what really turned the corner for Rush. But I expect crap reporting from CNN. I'm suprised they didn't claim Obama wrote the songs....

Loopman,
1st, why the snide comment?
2nd, the subtext of the original headline was, in fact, that King died in 1922. Perhaps by the time my comments were posted they corrected the error.
3rd, reading comprehension is different from dyslexia or misidentification or symbols or words.
4th (not to you Loopman), why must some of you insistantly bring politics into everything? And just because someone voted for – or detests – a certain political figurehead, why does that make him a troll or an saint? What has happened to our sense of civility? I assure you that we have much more in common with one another than a few sociopolitical disagreements. We're all here, reading about the RRHOF, right? Once we wake up to this, then we'll start rebuildiing from the divisive mess we're in...one that promotes the 'F*(& you, you're wrong response,' and onward to the, 'explain to me what you mean by that.'

Don't think Kenny Loggins has ever been inducted, either. Neither has Meatloaf or Lionel Richie. As for groups, there's Chicago. Yep, there are still a fair number of folks that are worthy in my book. I guess if I contemplated it long enough, I could come up with many more. Hope they get inducted before their time is up. Kind of stinks to be inducted posthumously. I'm sure Donna Summer would have been thrilled to have received the award while she was here on earth. But then again, maybe I'm assuming she doesn't know ~ maybe she does.

Rush is LESS rock and roll than Donna Summer. Donna Summer songs are mostly in a 4/4 beat, with standard rock instrumentation, with added strings and electronics. Rush is in about a hundred different time signatures in the same song. Donna Summer sings about getting laid and relationships. Rush sings about sci-fi worlds, cheesy dystopias, modern day Tom Sawyers and a bunch of other stuff, NONE of it having to do with getting laid. You can dance to Donna Summer, you can get stoned to rush and play air drums, which is only considered dancing if you are confined to a wheelchair. The one thing they have in common, they call Geddy Lee the Working Man and we all know Donna Summer worked hard for the money.

The so-called "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" is nothing more than a sad joke. It lost all credibility years ago with inductions of non-Rockers like Prince, Madonna, and even the consideration – let alone the induction – of RAPPERS! (the anti-Rockers). Even as much as I love Donna Summer and as fondly as I remember the Disco Era, Disco is not Rock and Donna doesn't belong in a "Rock" HOF. They need to give-up all pretense of "Rock&Roll" leaning and call it what it REALLY is: "The Post-1950 POP Music Hall of Fame".

I agree fully dude, if its Rock n Roll hall of Fame they better be rockers at the very least. So really Rush an Heart are the only 2 that belong. So knowing that... is it not time that finally KISS be inducted !!
The whole thing has turned into a sham,... and thats a shame. Speaking of "aint that a shame" is Cheap Trick even in the hall of fame yet??

I suspect that many of you object to some of the people inducted into the HOF is because you have a misguided and narrow view of rock-n-roll music, perhaps you should look up the history of the music to see who were the real pioneers of rock n roll and it sure was not elvis, jerry lewis or the beetles

TK, your comment shows me how ignorant YOU are about the history of Rock and Roll. Anyone who doesn't know the difference between Jerry Lewis (a comedian) and Jerry LEE Lewis (the singer) is an idiot. And it's the BEATLES, you moron. Get it? BEAT as in MUSIC? Get a clue. Public Enemy doesn't belong, not because of their race, but because the are not a legendary performing group worth of being inducted into this hall of fame. Put them in the rap hall of fame, or hip hop hall of fame or whatever, but they do not belong in a group with the likes of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson or any of the other great artists. They are not good enough to lick their boots.

Anybody who thinks that hip hop has not influenced rock obviously stopped listening to new music since 1985. Have you not listened to Anthrax' version of Bring the Noise. While I agree that there are alot of overdue inductees (Cmon – NO DEEP PURPLE??!!), I have no problem with Public Enemy's inclusion. You should check out "It Takes A Nation of Millions" before you pass judgement. Otherwise stay in your parent's basement with your Foghat LP's and keep quiet.

I think you're ignorant too, Kas. Rap music has contributed to Rock. One of the best rock/rap collaberations was Aerosmith with a rap t rio named Run DMC. They collaberated on "Walk this Way" – a classic indeed. Don't the fans drive who eventually ends up in the Rock Hall of Fame?

Not saying these folks aren't deserving of the recognition and looks like it's there time to dance on the field, but there are still plenty of other individuals and groups who haven't been recognized. I always liked Journey, ELO, Foreigner, Supertramp, and Daryl Hall and John Oates ~ I really hope they all get the nod next year. At any rate, it's about time Joan Jett was inducted.

Once again, the Rock Hall has demonstrated its utter lack of credibility. Heart and Rush certainly belong in the Rock Hall. However, each other act inducted is not even a Rock act. It's time to either throw in the towel (which I'm sure you won't do), or just change your name to "The Popular Music Hall of Fame". This will, at least, legitimize most of your choices, because you can argue that practically any type of music is "popular" to someone. As it stands, the Rock Hall consists mostly of non-Rock and second- and third-rate Rock acts. There is no exclusivity and, therefore, no honor in being inducted.

Rock and Roll came from a variety of music genres. To suggest that any particular group is not worthy of induction in that hall of fame is short sighted in light of the contributions that each artist or group has made to American music. That obviously includes hip hop as well as country. Otherwise, how would you justify including the original rockers like Elvis Presley in the same hall as The Rolling Stones and Guns N Roses?

You know, I think you're absolutely right! I think one of the best songs ever written and performed by them was Nights in White Satin. For me, it ranks right up there with Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven. The Moody Blues certainly have a lot of excellent musical history to their name!

If it really was a "Rock an Roll HOF" I would heartily agree: fantastic band, one of the best live acts I've ever seen, and genuinely nice guys, (I was lucky enough to meet them one year when my best friend won backstage passes from WRIF). The unfortunate reality is crap like NWA and Tupac (it's only "rap" 'cause some dumba$$ made a typo and didn't get the "C" at the beginning!,) will make it into the "POP Music HOF" long before most of Rock's best and brightest.

Yeah, they were all 'experts' in their fields of knowledge of their instruments. The only other band that came close was Zep. Bonham vs. Peart, Jones vs. Getty, Page vs. Lifeson, and Plant vs. Lee again. It's close!!!!

Rush in a nutshell were great musicians and had great arrangements. The style of music is subjective...I have no problem with Public Enemy as they were groundbreaking like NWA. Is it Rock & Roll? Probably not.

Love Rush's music, totally respect their abilities as musicians, but they have to be the most BORING live band since Kansas. Seriously. They don't even look at the crowd, they just look at their instruments. They seem afraid of audience interaction. But maybe that's okay. Rush is all about the music; for them, the celebrity status is just a consequence of the music. For too many other bands, the music is just the path to celebrity status.

I certainly wouldn't add Rush, and Donna Summer will tear people up. Randy Newman is OK but HOF?
Once again several truly deserving artists are left out – When is Dick Dale ever going to make it?
If you don't know who Dick Dale is look it up.

I quoted a Rush song earlier today. I have always thought they were a great Rock Band. For those who are upset at Rush being enshrined, save your comments for Donna Summer (Disco Singer) or Public Enemy (Rap Group). They do not belong any more then Beethoven belongs there.

The only way that public enemy could get in was by the use of samples. Remember when plagerism was a bad thing. Back then rappers lifted lots of stuff. Now there is a more creativity, but back in the mid 80's stealing(oh sorry sampling) was the only way to get noticed. They should not be there, they belong in the rapping hall of fame.

Rush finally. Don't knock them because Yes is not there. There aren't a lot of progressive rock acts in the hall. That needs to change. They are leaving out a lot of great groups, and bringing in too many one hit wonders.

As I was growing up, Heart and Rush were favorites of the old-school morons who listened to dried-up classic rock stations while the intelligent and cool people were getting into the progressive sounds of New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, The Smiths and the greatest of them all, Depeche Mode. The rock hall is not a museum, it's a re-education camp designed to dumb our culture down.

There is trouble in the forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the maples scream 'Oppression!'
And the oaks just shake their heads

So the maples formed a union
And demanded equal rights
'The oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light'
Now there's no more oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe and saw

All three band members are rated as amongst the best all-time with their respective instruments. Like their music or not, they are incredible musicians and worthy of this honour for that reason alone (if being one of the best selling bands of all-time wasn't enough)....

Yeah, they were all 'experts' in their fields of knowledge of their instruments. The only other band that came close was Zep. Bonham vs. Peart, Jones vs. Getty, Page vs. Lifeson, and Plant vs. Lee again. It's close!!!!

Rush & Heart into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Led Zeppeilin gets a Kennedy Center Honor all in the same year. A pretty good year for 3 of my most favorite bands ever!!! Rock and Roll is a many faceted genre of music. Without artists like Albert King there would be no rock and roll as we know it. (Look Him Up). Heart and Rush are two of the most talented, brilliant, melodic hard rock bands ever-along with Led Zeppelin the band who inspired both groups. Donna Summer-well she will always be the Queen. She may have performed in the Disco era but she could sing rock. Randy Newman is a brilliant songwriter and Public Enemy–well they earned their way into the Hall.. Congrats also to the brilliant Quincy Jones and also to Lou Adler.

well at least they got 2 of them right this year in RUSH and HEART. but the fact they put in donna summer and public enemy over Deep Purple shows they still do not get it! rappers and dancers and disco people do not belong in something called the Rock and Roll hall of fame. they do play instruments and sorry the turntable is not one nor does talking fast count as singing. call it the music hall of fame or the rolling stone magazine critics hall of fame but it is not the Rock and Roll hall of fame. I look forward to the day when they have a rap hall of fame and they induct AC/DC or IRON MAIDEN in it which would make as much sense as putting rappers in something called the Rock and Roll hall of fame.

It's ironic that the "Rock and Roll HOF and Museum" supplied the caption for Heart includes the songs Alone (1986) and What About Love (1985) from their more pop-rock days, but the band members mentioned were from the earlier rockin' days of 1976-1980. They, the RnR HOF, couldn't get that right either.

Haters ?
This cellphone stuck in my face, Jane Jetson has a painful didgid whining
generation, who think that if i cheer for the Patriots instead of the Cowboys
that i must just.....H A T E .....T H E M........
You guys should either grow the phuc up, or shut the phuc up.
Ladies and Gentlemen, if you cant kick a redneck, find a Republican.
Its the same freaking difference, only ......
The Rednecks dont have any money.

No no one is thinking like that u can like who u want y ???? U cant respest what it is Public Enemy was a legend to blacks and u have yours so we all cant have some oh I for got these r white pies only .

I love Rush, but no way in hell should they go in before Yes. Jan's whole premise as to why Yes isn't in (yet?) is because Yes' lack of blues-based rock or a connection with early black artists...Well, at least Yes has some blues passages in "All Good People", "America," and certainly the danceable "Owner of a Lonely Heart" and "Leave It." At least stick to the story Jan, or risk being ridiculed like the old, has-been that you are.

Haters are jealous that cleveland is home of rock & roll HOF and their sh***y cities aren't. Dont slander the city cuz of it's sports teams. There are worse cities out there....ex: chicago, detroit, baltimore, St. Louis (nothing special besides beer company and an arch), Memphis, Oklahoma City, and Flint.

Dude, great list.. I completely agree with almost all of them if you are going
to induct people that dont contribute to rock and roll...
They should either change the name to the Music or Associated Artists Hall of Fame,
or actually be the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and keep the rap garbage out

You are sooooooo correct...it's by and large a sham. Change the name to Music Hall of fame and set up a Rock Hall of Fame...do it right!!! What the hell do people want with Madonna in a rock and roll anything...

Great list. In particular, I agree with Rundgren (Something/Anything is a top 100 album all time and he is also a great record producer), Television (Marquee Moon is a landmark album), MC5 (a true original...Kick Out the Jams is one of the best live albums of the past 50 years), and Flying Burrito Brothers (the origin of alt-country rock...influenced Wilco and many other alt-country rock acts).

R&R HOF is a disgrace. Donna Summer is disco, public enemy is rapthey sshould not be even in the running. Heart, Rush ok put them in. If I was in Cleveland I would never go see the HOF because it is a joke. I would rather see the largest ball of twine then the R&R HOF.

Why is someone like Linda Ronstadt not in the Rock and Roll hall of fame? She was the first female in rock to sell out arena's on her own and is one of the best singers to come along in the last 50 years.

Joan Jett was always outside the music industry. Her first four submissions were rejected by all the major labels, so she and Kenny Laguna started their own label and sold records out of the trunk of his car. All four became hits, without "industry" backing.

No wonder she's not in the industry's hall of fame. She made it without them. I hope she finally gets nominated next year, and tells them where they can put the honor.

can someone, anyone, please explain where public enemy fits into a rock & roll discussion???? while your at it, explain to me why they are even involved in a musical discussion. i have taken bowel movments with more musical talent then they have.

public enemy is there because they helped influence hip-hop if you look at blues music it was all about the tragic experience of being black in america. public enemy shares the difficulties of being black in the inner cities of the modern time. the sounds are different but the meaning is the same. rock and roll came after blues some of you need to learn your history

Ill make a deal, ill learn history if you learn about music. They dont play insturments or sing, they steal (sample) others artistic ablilities and put their stupid words to it, but they do not sing. call it beat poetry if you must, but it has nothing at all to do with rock & roll. If you say its the evolution of music but that be like saying the taliban are all about the modernization of religion. Spare me.

Public Enemy are partially included because they were one of the first including Faith No More to combine Rock and Rap in music. Public Enemy collaborated with Anthrax (most famous example being Bring tha Noise). This influenced many artists who continued to merge rap and rock, most notably Rage Against the Machine.

I so agree with you! They've had an amazing career and are still putting out incredible some 30+ years later! I had the pleasure of seeing them 3 times in the last year and a half and they sounded better then ever! My 15 year old is a huge fan (he got to see them twice and loved them) and I'm beyond thrilled that he loves their music rather then the stuff that passes for music today.

Justin Beiber is horrable how raceist no one,n America,speaks good English I understand those groups perfectly oh yeah whites want Justin beiber to b something he is not . Blacks cant understand what there saying n rock n roll at least there no just screaming .

If you think Justin Bieber has more talent than Public Enemy, you have no idea what musical talent is. You do realize that Bieber is nothing more than a marketing gimmick, who sings songs written by hollywood hacks, songs designed to appeal to pre-teen girls that have no taste in music, right? Just what about the pop genre has been revolutionized by Bieber, in the way that Public Enemy revolutionized their genre? It's not even close, and if you can't see that, you know NOTHING about music or music history.

Those who agree with this list and those who disagree are both correct. This is true because the list is simply the opinions of a group of people in Cleveland who decided to bestow themselves with unwarranted significance.

Music, and art in general, was not meant to be classified in this way. It was made to be appreciated. Not quantified

Why does anyone care about this? You like the band or you dont. Everyone who loves a band that meant a lot to them and had success thinks that band should be in. Why is this important?
Its all art and for everyone that loves these bands theres someone that hates them.
Award shows and Hall of Fames are such a game and a joke.

Just listen to the music you enjoy and better yet, make some of your own.

Just step back for a moment, and ask yourself: If I were visiting the hall of fame and saw that Heart, Donna Summer, Public Enemy, Albert King, Randy Newman, and Rush were in there, would I be astounded by that? For reasonable people that know something about the history of popular music, the answer is no. You guys are more upset about who's not in there, and that's okay...I personally feel that The Cure should be in. There are only a few inductees per year, they'll get to your favorite sooner or later unless they totally bl0w.

Glad rush made it in.. What about bands like deep purple.. Judas Priest. Iron Maiden, kiss. The rock n roll hall of fame has neglected a large amount of influential bands. I mean Rush got their break with Kiss having them on tour.

I love it. Every year this comes up and every year the bickering starts. I think they should just cut to the chase and let every band in all at once and get it over with already. Eventually it’s gonna happen. Eventually every band will get in, its just a matter of time. No band is never going to get in, that would make the "Hall Of Fame" irrelevant. So relax everybody it doesn’t really matter when they get in. Does it?

Def Leppard has been through the wringer since 1979, multi platinum trail blazers who've been imitated by many a band in the 80s and 90s, and they're still together touring and recording with no breakups ever. I'd like to see them honored. They're so much more than Pour Some Sugar on Me.

Yeah, pretentious much? You obviously know nothing about the band. If you did, you'd know that Neil Peart is the drummer, not the lead singer. And Geddy Lee sounds a lot better than you ever could. Rush's induction is an honor that's 14 years late in arriving.

Mike – you are all kinds of hilarious (and ignorant). It's Peart, not Pert. He was the drummer, not the singer (Geddy Lee was, and a mighty talented one at that). But the most hilarious thing you say is equating Rush to Glam Rock – when it's two entirely different sounds. Just because the members of Rush had long hair, you equate them to Glam Rock? You just showed us what you know about Rush is absolutely...nothing.

WOW! Let me be the first to slam such a STUPID comment. First, Rush was or is NOT a "hair band"... you must be really young or just have no knowledge of rock genre's. Second, Geddy Lee is the lead singer. These guys weren't just some trumped up garage band, they are educated in music and are brilliant artists. Stick to pop rock dude, you're a complete moron.

All three in the band (with honourable mention to original drummer John Rutsey) are arguably the best all-time with their respective instruments. Like their music or not, they are talented musicians....

So the induction of Donna Summners is so important now that she is deceased? So the other 5 times she wasn't? Glad that she is finally being recognized, but I am sure that she would have enjoyed this honor while she was alive. Sickening.

OMG what about Flock of Seagulls/The Partridge Family/Gwar/Nelson/Bobby Sherman/GG Allin/The Cowsills/Animotion???!!!111.....we can do this all day, folks.

Love a lot of Rush songs (Bastille Day, La Villa Strangiato, etc.), and their musicianship is top notch but you can have the Kevin Cronin-mullet, synth-playing Geddy Lee stuff, and the pseudo-intellectual lyrics get old pretty quick...glad to see they got some props though. 70s Heart is great...Magic Man should have it's own museum; however, 80s Heart makes me want to chew on pebbles...I mean, it was 10 years, not a wormhole....what happened?

Long overdue for RUSH. One of the more intelligent and grounded groups out there.
Peart is not only a great drummer he is an exceptional writer. These guys were never
worried about their image as much as they were their art. All i can say is it's about time!

From Cincinnati , you are 1000% correct Rush is the only band from the 70/80s still putting out not only good but relevant music. Also glad Heart is getting its honors too. When I think of how many crappy pop bands like ABBA and others got in before Rush and Heart it sickens me. Rush is about the music not egos. Neither Geddy, Alex, or Neil will " pull an Axl "

Lawrence – I'm offended that you don't think I deserved to be in the hall of fame. I made some mighty fine music. Short People, some stuff from Toy Story. I think that certainly puts me in the same league with Led Zeppelin or Jimi Hendrix. Don't you?

I've been a huge Randy Newman fan for 38 years. The Sail Away album blew me away when I first heard it at 18. A master on the piano. Take a look at everyone that has played with him over the years. They obviously do not think he is a joke..

@Johnny Aneskevich: That was the most ignorant comment on here and that is saying something. RUSH is not creative?? I'll bet you have never heard more than 2 of their songs and couldn't figure out what they even meant. That's OK though we all have our favorites and don't you worry, Justin Bieber will make you proud someday.

The fact that RUSH got snubbed for soooo long will not be forgotten. It was becomming a running joke of epic proprotions! RUSH has more gold albums than 98% of the inductees, yet they got snubbed for 14 years? FU Hall of shame.

Best trio in rock history.
One of the top 10 bands in rock history.
Peart is the best drummer in rock histroy.
Leifson is one of the top 5 guitarists in rock history.
What the hell took so long at the R& R HOF ????

No Pink Floyd?
You are correct.
Rush never had a band member committed to an insane asylum...or had their founding member walk away from the band.
They are the SAME 3 GUYS in the SAME BAND since the 70's.
Rush eclipsed Pink Floyd 30 years ago...

michflaguy:
Rush never had a band member committed to an insane asylum...or had their founding member walk away from the band.
They are the SAME 3 GUYS in the SAME BAND since the 70's.
Rush eclipsed Pink Floyd 30 years ago...

Bonehead was that before or after "Dark Side of the Moon"?? I like Rush but they were never of Pink Floyd
caliber

Rock & Roll has to be guitar (or similar stringed instrument) and drum based and take it's roots from rhythm & blues. Heavy beat, simple melodies. Some Rock & Roll acts might stray from that formula on a track or two, but the core of their portfolio is Rock.

Rush is by far the most talented trio in rock history...and one of the top 10 bands of all time. Ironically, much of their *early* music is still eons ahead of music today. In particular the structure of their music is light years ahead of most rock bands that came before or after them. And Neal Peart is considered by just about every professional percussionist as the greatest drummer in rock history.
Bravo to you guys....you are quite deserving and this is long overdue.

When I read your comment about Cream, my first thought was..."Who?"
Oh yeah...that band that was together for about 10....months.
Hey...the band-members of Cream were awesome, and they all went on to great things after the 60's ended, but as a band, Cream was basically a one-hit-wonder.

KISS is the best of 70s rock, but will never be inducted because the powers that be (per the NPR report today) are either too old or way too young to understand them. This is the reason so few 70s bands are in the HOF, and why the 1960s dominate their thinking. Of course, most "industry" people never did understand KISS, which is why they never recieved a Grammy, People's Choice, or other awards. Pure bigotry.

haha!!!.... best selling band of all time, that's funny. Kiss is nowhere near there. There are oodles of bands ahead of them....and if you meant to say american, well Aerosmith has more than them and is a lot better of a band

Glad to see Rush is finally getting inducted. The caption is funny though; it says that the band "enjoyed popularity in the 1970s with songs like "Tom Sawyer" and "The Spirit of Radio""–Both of those songs came out in the 80s!! Why not mention "The Trees" or "Fly By Night" or "A Passage to Bangkok" or even "Closer to the Heart"?

I grew up with with Heart, liked them, saw them in concert etc., but they were not as big then, or now, as Deep Purple. Machine Head is a classic album. They should get in just for ther songs on that disc.

Great point on Deep Purple...they were monsters 'back in the day'.
LOL at replying to your own post...funny.
FYI...'Highway Star' is still one of the best jams ever when you have the volume cranked up to 11. 🙂

The statement of eligibility for induction, from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website:

"To be eligible for induction as an artist (as a performer, composer, or musician) into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the artist must have released a record, in the generally accepted sense of that phrase, at least 25 years prior to the year of induction; and have demonstrated unquestionable musical excellence.

"We shall consider factors such as an artist's musical influence on other artists, length and depth of career and the body of work, innovation and superiority in style and technique, but musical excellence shall be the essential qualification of induction."

Nowhere here does the Hall of Fame limit inclusion by musical genre. If the performer's particular genre is an offshoot of what was originally defined as rock and roll, such as in the case of Donna Summer and her considerable influence on disco, or if their influence crosses genres, such as in the case of Johnny Cash and his considerable influence on countless musicians of all types, the Hall of Fame will consider them for induction. The concept is to be inclusive, not exclusive, otherwise you wind up with a Hall of Fame that will only induct one artist every five years because only that one meets the consensus viewpoint of "rock and roll."

TL;DR: The Hall of Fame makes the rules about who gets in and who doesn't. The music industry – not just rock and rollers, mind – decide who gets in and who gets left out. If you dislike their decisions, then don't buy their brand, and don't visit their museum.

I've heard that argument before, but then it shouldn't be called the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. Name it the Popular Music HOF or something along those lines. When I think of Rock & Roll, the last thing I think of is Public Enemy...even though I'm a fan. Playing a couple songs with Anthrax doesn't count.

Josh, I completely agree! Public Enemy has absolutely NO business being inducted into the ROCK and ROLL Hall of Fame! Especially considering the big name acts like DEEP PURPLE who have YET to be nominated while Public Enemy isn't "Rock and Roll" in any way shape or form!!! Who on Earth nominated THEM !???

All Rush has done is sell out major (16-18,000 seat) venues for over 30 years while obtaining 41 gold and platinum RIAA album awards. I would definitely agree it needs to be called the Music Hall of Fame because pop, rap, and hip-hop are NOT rock and never will be. It is amazing what is considered "Hall of Fame" caliber these days. This, unfortunately, is rapidly becoming known as the Hall of Shame.

Nirvana will be eligible next year. And Pixies, too. Throw in some Yes, King Crimson, Moody Blues, and ELP, and if a pop name is really requried, maybe add Kanasas or Foreigner. That wouldn't be a bad year.

I find it very odd that you consider Kansas to be nothing more than a "pop" band???? You must have never seen them play live. They are every bit as progressive and technically accomplished as King Crimson, ELP or YES! I have seen them ALL live and I would put the live performance of Kansas considerably higher than ELP and at LEAST as good as King Crimson!

And Deep Purple and some of these other choices are not the first thing that rolls off my mouth.Donna Summers sold more records than most of these hall of famers ...look it up ...if you don't believe me 2 #1 singles within 6 months more platinum than most acts Stones sold more , Elvis probably... and the Beatles... but Donna Summers is in the top 8 .... look it up and take your trash talk somewhere else ... who said you own the definition of rock and roll

Also, fun fact: Rany Newman's "I Love LA", despite being played at sporting events in LA and often seen as a sort of unofficial theme song for the city, is lyrically actually about how much he hates LA. The whole song is sarcastic.

Very keen musical taste Mike. Rush may not be everyone's cup of tea but no one can deny their outstanding musical ablilty. If Madonna can be in, I think there could be a place for Styx and about a dozen other multimillion selling "rock" bands. Also, thank you for that little known fact about the Randy Newman song, little known to anyone who has never listened to the song, that is.

Both Chicago and The Association are glaring errors of omission. Chicago has an amazing body of work and is stills performing forty years after their 1st album. The Association had one of the best live shows that I have ever seen. #1 record of the year with Cherish. Windy, Never My Love and Along Comes Mary were all big hits. BMI lists "Never My Love" as having the 2nd most airplay of any record in the 20th century. Both of these groups deserve to be recognized.

The RnR Hall of Fame is something that matters to few. All you need to know is that Alice Cooper isn't in and it took them until 2010 to induct The Stooges. The place is politically driven and the nominators are full of crap.

Alice Cooper – inducted 2011. It amazes me that Rush is getting in and Jann Wenner is still alive. He has always made it known he hates Rush and would never let them into is little club as long as he was alive. Guess you can ice skate on the River Styx.

Technically it should be called the pop (for popular) music hall of fame. This would include different musical genres that do well on the pop charts. Keep in mind that many musicians cross genres or that their music are influenced by other genres. Of course, calling it the rock and roll hall of fame sounds better.

You're just showing your lack of knowledge about music. Donna Summer won the FIRST Grammy for Best Female Rock Performance for Hot Stuff and went on to be nominated another two times. Bruce Springsteen thought she was so good, he wrote "Protection" for her and dueted with her on the original version. If you have any question that she couldn't rock with the best of them, take a look at youtube.

My lack of knowledge? Hot Stuff was disco, not matter what the idiots at the Grammy Awards say. How about we induct ACDC into the Disco Hall of Fame? Oh, that's right, there is no Disco Hall of Fame because we all know, DISCO SUCKS.

I can't figure out why they never let Stevie Nicks in. She's created dozens upon dozens of popular songs, is wildly popular as a solo artist, has had a major influence and has been going strong for almost 40 years now – what more do they want?

Re: "Not a good singer" – Yes, but it's not an award for singing, in fact it has absolutely nothing to do with it. Neal Pert, Alex Liefson, Geddy Lee, and Public Enemy aren't good singers. Besides, millions of people feel she's a GREAT singer. Listen to her performance of "Rhiannon" on the original album. Thousands of people had to sit down the first time they heard it, back in the seventies. Literally, I'm not exaggerating – they felt her voice was so beautiful they literally almost fainted.

Often when awards and inductions are initially created, the vision is pure. After a few years, and different people acquire influence, the vision becomes corrupt. Clearly some of the current nominees do not reflect the original pure vision of Rock and Roll. Not that they're not great... I've always been a big fan of Donna Summer... they just don't reflect genuine rock music. Let's take the RRHF back for genuine rock, if you want a hall of fame that reflects general music, create a grammy hall of fame... oh, but that would be redundant.

And their music sucks. The recordings are so bad I can't put their vinyl on my turntable any longer. CD's are really out of the question for their garbage. We loved them in the 70's but as some of us matured it became evident that we were being duped.

At this point, who wants to be in with the like of Donna Summer or Public Enemy, anyway? They are both fine artists but have zero to do with rock n roll. Meanwhile, vital bands like Black Flag and the Misfits get ignored. Start calling it the Pop Music Hall and be done with it. This thing is a joke.

Big yes to Rush and Heart, both prolific artists with a huge library of incredible music. Randy Newman has done a lot of themes and quiet work for a very long time, so I don't completely object to his nod. Donna Summer was a niche artist with a large amount of popularity for a short period of time. A quality artist, but not HoF worthy. A little no for Albert King and a big NO to Public Enemy. Hip hop artists seem to get nominated/inducted for a very small body of worthwhile work. I doubt the average person could name even 3 songs by Public Enemy. Maybe not even 2.

Donna Summer a "niche artist" for a limited period of time??? Are you serious? You need to do your homework. She recorded music from 1974 up until her last album in 2008. She continuously sold out concerts and, because she was a true artist, her voice was as good at the end as in 1974. She won 5 Grammy awards (nominated for an additional 13) and ironically, won the first Grammy presented for Best Female Vocal Performance, Rock (I might add here, since Rush seems to be everyone's favorite, the band never won a single Grammy.) She sold over 130 million albums which didn't happen in a "limited period of time."

Good to see Rush made it in. Not that it matters much, the HoF is nothing more than a bad joke. Meatloaf deserves to be there, as do Styx, Deep Purple, and mony other great rock and roll bands. Public Enemy? are you kidding me?

Why do the organizers think they're too important for Cleveland? I think it's such a needless insult that this has to take place in NYC or LA. I have a feeling that some of the inductees also think they're too important.

I'm astounded that people were actually upset about their favorite band being left out of this meaningless nonsense. Especially a band like Rush, producers of some of the most pompous, tuneless, annoying tripe ever heard.

Rush popular in the 70's????? Try 70's, 80's, 90's and they are still going strong. Rush played at our high school when I lived in Canada. The Niagara Region, St. Catharines area and Port Dalhousie home to Neil Peart. I remember Neil playing in a band called Bullrush before he auditioned for Rush. The job of Rush new drummer was offered to my neighbor, Glen Gratto first but he turned it down because of his new family and the travel would have killed his relationship with the wife and kids.

It's pathetic how the decision makers have snubbed SO MANY true rock n roll bands that deserve to be inducted and instead select people that have nothing to do with rock. The sad truth is Rush would STILL be waiting had they not topped the list of fan choices.

Jethro Tull is one of the few bands who never sold out, never made a song simply to sell records. They made the music they wanted to make for decades, and if you didn't like it, they'd just make another one the same way. You will never listen to a collection of Tull tunes and think "these all sound alike". Despite that, they still managed to create a huge body of classics and easily merit a HoF induction.

Member Alex Lifeson told CNN after the group was nominated back in October that the honor meant a great deal to his group's fan base.

"For our fans, it's very, very important, and we feel great for them," he said. "We're at the next stage and we'll see if we're actually inducted. If so, we'll support it in every way we can for our fans."

MY Boys RUSH have been Snubbed Soo Many Times by the RORHOF that at this point I dont think they give a crap weather they get in out not anymore and who can blame them. Alex makes it pretty plain in his comments above if you read between the lines.

If I was them I would not even show up for the induction ceremoney.

CONGRATS TO GETTY, NEIL, AND ALEX. IT'S LOOONG OVER DUE.

I can Still Remember being 16, smoking a fatty, and Listening to 2112 LIVE and INPERSON.
THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES GUYS..................

the HOF is a joke. Hip Hop has nothing to do with Rock and Roll. Neither does disco. I am not knocking those genres. Listen to whatever you like but Rock and Roll is Rock and Roll. Change the naem to the Pop music HOF. Grand Funk, Yes ELP, Humble Pie. those were Rock bands. No offense to Donna Summer but REALLY? DONNA SUMMER?

Hip-hop has nothing to do with rock? Wow, you aren't too bright. Hip-hop has been a huge influence on rock for 30+ years. Apparently you stopped listening to rock just before Blondie released "Rapture."

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a joke. Rap is not rock and Disco is the same non-rock. Only two group deserves to be in.... RUSH and Heart. The rest is crap. Why should a rocker go visit the RnR HoF to see a bunch of non-talent rap crap? Where is Alice Cooper, Steve Miller, Chicago, Kiss????

How could you not induct the ROCK band that had, at least in the 70s the best Guitarist/Bass Player/and Keyboard player of that time. Wakeman may be the best Keyboardist in rock history. Roundabout was a rock anthem of the 70s after Stairway to Heaven. They influenced many artists Billy Joel(I believe) and I know Rush was influenced by them. Even Jack Black mentioned Yes’s Fragile in his movie. A Grammy in the 80s. Number one hit “Owner of a Lonely Heart”.

Still no Grand Funk Railroad & Deep Purple. Part of the Big 4 in the early 1970's Led Zepplin, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Grand Funk Railroad & add The Alice Cooper Group and you had the original Heavy Metal Kings!!!! Oh well maybe next year.

Randy Newman is a singer-songwriter who has been recording since the early 1960s (and still is I believe). He both has released records under his name performing his own music and has had some of his songs become hits recorded by other artists. My guess would be that his best known work recorded by himself would be the satirical "Short People".

Most people though are probably familiar more with his film score work (for example, he did the music for all the Toy Story movies) and he has won multiple Oscars/Grammys/Emmys and such for Best Original Song/Score.

I've seen several comments on Chicago not making it- Some saying that they aren't considered R&R..... Maybe they should listen to their first several albums- A pure representation of what R&R was for the 60's and 70's. They will never get inducted as long as certain people are in control of the old boys club- Same goes for some of the other bands that have been continuously omitted year after year.

No talent hacks like rush? Rush probably has one of the biggest fan followings world wide even bigger then today's so calle talent and they've been at it for over 30 years... I love rush myself and can understand why people don't but to label them as no talent hacks is pure ignorance from someone who odviously has little to no music.

The Rock n Roll HOF continues to thoroughly discredit itself. Seriously, Donna Summer and Public Enemy are in, but Deep Purple is not?!? And Deep Purple is not the only absurd and glaring omission. Judas Priest and the late great Ronnie James Dio should be slam dunk selections. Either the HOF selection committee is incompetent, or they revel in the bad publicity – ala the college football BCS "championship" series.

These comments are hilarious! So many people whining and demanding more old white guys from the 70's be let in. News flash kids, not all white guys in the 70's produced amazing music. Second news flash, a lot of black people and people of the 80's made great music too. I know it may be hard to accept guys, but Donna Summer DID make better music and was certainly more influential in the long run than Deep Purple or Styx (fricken lol, saw that one somewhere here and about died laughing) or whatever other long haired white boys you wanna try. Rock has grown much more dance influenced over the years and that traces straight back to Disco.

Ask anyone who practices playing an instrument in a style that is "in tune" with that of a rock band, whether it be hard rock, classic rock, punk, metal, contemp, etc, etc, etc, and ask them who their influences are...

You will find a WIDE and varying degree of answers ranging from classical music, to country to folk to other rock performers, to blues, to jazz to pop to even disco (although probably rare).

The point is... American music is a blessing to the world at large whether the rest of the world likes it or admits it or not. Rap artists use mixes from rock and other rappers, jazz, blues, r&b, rock uses influences from the blues, jazz, r&b, country, folk and classical, etc, etc, etc.

Our music is our culture put into audio... It's a collage of cultures and tastes for the ears. Trying to take ownership or point out who ripped off who or who is better, or making a RACE issue of it, is missing the point.

My God, we cannot even talk about music without race being brought into the subject, how sad...

Newsflash – Disco is not rock. Hip hop is not rock. Dance music in general is not considered rock. Everyone on this list but Heart and Rush technically have no place in the Hall of Fame, but that's been the case since day one.
Also, 99% of people writing and performing rock n' roll up until the last decade were "white boys" and girls. Now if there were a funk, or soul, or Motown hall of fame I imagine that not many would be on the short list.

Deep Purple was not influential? You should check your facts. Over 150 million albums sold and those are studio or sanctioned live albums and does not include the other 100 million albums sold as bootlegs. Smoke on the water is the first riff learned by any aspiring rock guitarist. Rock goes back to disco? Really? We must have very different parameters to what rock is.

Well said M.E. everything is about race when it comes to white people just b/c it's called the rock n roll hall of fame doesn't mean it's only for white rock bands .Im black and I enjoy all types of music and yes I listen to Led zeppelin and Donna summer ,Fleetwood Mac , bees gees etc .I've always kept an open mind when it comes to music no what skin color the person is .I like to give credit when it's due .

Disco sucks! did then, does now. Was the anti rock and has no place in the rock hall of fame.
Ritchie Blackmoores blazing fingers driving Deep purple are exactly what rock and roll is all about.
CTA (chicago transit aithority) was good early on and then went too pop. Still should Get in.
Rush belongs there. Neil Pert is in a class all his own.
Randy Newman is talented at what he does but he isn't rock'
Visiting the rock and roll HOF you have to pick the good from the bad areas. I hit a bubble gum special exhibit when I went. David Cassidy, Bobby Sherman, it was devestating.
First exhibit when you go in is roots aof rock. Listen to Etta James, Billie Holiday, Robert Johnson. Albert King belongs.,

LOL at all of you "rock and roll" purists' outrage. Rock and Roll purists have allowed themselves to think that they are the purveyors of what's good and what isn't. First of all, if you want to be fully technical and factually based, let's not forget that rock and roll itself was born out of being a copycat/whitewashed fusion of rhythm & blues (aka "race music" as it was called back then). There's nothing totally original about rock and roll music – which is the same generational criticism that has been levied upon hip-hop and disco – but now the purists want to be segregated from all other forms of music when it comes to lifetime recognition. SMH

@MC, you missed the ENTIRE premise behind my post. Perhaps YOU'RE the half wit. I'll rephrase for the half-wit layman: there's nothing pure nor exclusive about rock and roll in of itself. Rock and roll exists only because of the influence of rhythm and blues, jazz and gospel. So to now take the position as a rock and roller that certain genres don't belong in the RRHOF, that other genres need to make their own HOF is a lame duck, pouty, and might a say b**chy position to take. It's like the white collar thief telling the blue collar thief that he doesn't belong in this prison cell with them...they should be at county jail.

The RRHOF is not a legitimate arbiter or Rock and Roll or Fame. Its just a business set up with so called nominations and inductions decided by a bunch of elitists with hardly any objective criteria whatsoever and certainly not requiring that any of it be Rock and Roll or that any have any substantial fame or notoriety. To say that it is a travesty that so and so did not 'get in to' to RRHOF is only suggests legitimization of something that is nonsense.

Well said! Who is this Hall? Who nominates artists and based on what criteria? Axl Rose was right to sit this garbage out. It was the most rock n roll thing he'd done in decades...and completely justified.

This has turned into a music HOF, not a rock HOF...which is too bad. Donna Summer over Deep Purple is an insult to rock. I mean...that's just silly. No rock musician has EVER been influenced by Donna Summer. This is now the Music Hall of Fame.

Deep Purple can't even come close in record sales #1's on the charts that Donna Summer mustered ..... you old feeble rock and rollers need to understand this award is for every segment of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.... Deep Purple never had back to back #1's in a 6 month period Hot Stuff and Bad Girl ... so keep blaring your rock and roll music and stay in your unreality... they will get in someday but she deserves this award you moron

Who didn't start learning guitar in the 70's+80's without learning those first 12 or so notes of Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water ? Deep Purple,Yes,Jethro Tull,Chicago,Grand Funk,and Todd Rundgren should all have been in long before disco and rap acts!!!

I find it appalling that ROCK bands that existed, toured, had gold and platinum recordings, sold out arenas, some still making recorded and live shows from the 60's, 70's and 80's are not inducted but we have artists/bands, etc. that are 25 or less years in the industry that do not fall into the category or genre of rock, let alone utilize a GUITAR in any of their recordings or tracks and somehow get inducted.

Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, John Bonham, Freddie Mercury, and the other deceased rock greats. would probably be scratching their confused and bewildered heads on this...

These people are still tryign to show how "progressive" they are and "down with the young people"

They don't seem to understand that while a good chunk of sales for hip hop rap is the white suburbs, they gloos over the fact that none of these people have any resepct whatsoever for rock music in ANY form.

I find it really funny, that Public enemy, a group of antisemites are being inducted by the representaticves of a jewsih run industry. Apparently its not racism unless it comes from a white guy. go figure.

That said, I really like Donna Summers' music, but she's not really R&R is she? At the very least Disco came from rock, hip hop and rap is its own thing. They view rock music as the enemy, even though we have been embracing it for over 30 years. They hate us, and we're supposed to accept that. That's what this represents.

You may be correct, who knows... I grew up in the 70's and 80's and remember A LOT of the music from the 70's, to include disco. I actually love 70's rock, pop and disco, I mean I grew up listening to it and it's part of my childhood and is not bad or scarring memories in the least...

Well, the Osmond and the Bay City Rollers maybe...

In any event, the name needs to be changed to the "Music Hall of Fame" if PC is the name of the game. And, if PC is the name of the game, man they are dropping the ball BIG TIME because there are many, many great bands/performers out there in all genres of music from the 50's to now, ll colors, all styles that have been slighted...

I have wondered for a long time why rap, disco, and other forms of "music" are included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I believe the Hall should be renamed simply the Music Hall of Fame. I also don't understand why it takes decades for great groups like Rush and Heart to be included.

I am as confused as you... Rush and Heart are two great ROCK bands in their own right... Example, Rush is a, three-piece-band that laid down some of the most intricate percussion, bass and guitar work that most four (or more) member bands could only dream of.

Heart, a female lead band and the most successful and talented one at that, both vocally and on guitar. No other female dominated/lead band comes close to them.

Both inductions are 20+ years overdue in my opinion and is shameful it took so long...

Well it would be racist if we didn't have blacks get in each year....Same as BET vs WET (no wait there isn't a white channel)...Glad Rush got in they deserve it...but their stuff will look real cool next to Public Enemy...At least Rush actually plays instruments...Public Enemy's work with Anthrax is the only thing "Rock & Roll"....I would put Anthrax in before them (ever)....And what about KISS?

Anyone who will sit up here and say that Albert King doesn't belong here is a racist idiot. If it weren't for blues artists like King , there would be no rock and roll, PERIOD. You folks need to know that before the Blues and Jazz came around, white folks were listening to chamber music. LEARN HISTORY. Public Enemy is the child of Rock and Roll – They are rock's spirit morphing into something else.

Heart, Moody Blues, Dire Straits- who proposes the nominations? These artists should have been inducted long ago. Donna Summer was iconic, but not to rock and roll . Randy Newman is a clever wordsmith, but not r-n-r either.

Some of you people seriously need to quit being so technical. It is called the R&R hall of fame because that is what they felt like naming it. It has a good ring to it. It doesn't mean that other genres cannot be inducted. It's an honor regardless what type of music is played. Just like many other things that we have in our country it's about diversity. While some of you loathe hip hop or rap music, there is an equal amount of people that hate rock & roll. I personally hate Public Enemy but the fact is that they were one of the pioneers of rap music and do in fact deserve to be in there. Is Flavor Flav a joke, yes but he's laughing all the way to the bank.

...and yet again no mention anywhere of Warren Zevon. Gee, Warren. That's what you get for making an enemy out of Jann Wenner. Word to all you genius singer-songwriters out there- don't pi$$ off the founder of Rolling Stone Magazine AND the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame...

It's not April 1st, so this ridiculous list must be real. Anyone know the real standards used by whoever votes & to be voters. I'd love to see a forum so voters could try to explain these annual farces. Its as if each year they try to find less appropriate inducttees. Shameful.

As a long time Rush fan I'm shocked and amazed that the Hall finally got it right with the Canadian Trio. Rush are well deserving and long overdue as are Heart. Time to get the rest of the oldies-but-goodies in there and make this HOF respectable.

So happy to see Rush and Heart nominated, and yet they passed on Deep Purple to instead choose Public Enemy, Donna Summer, and Randy Newman. I didn't know rap, disco, and movie tunes outweighed rock pioneers in the ROCK and ROLL hall of fame. Kind of stupid.

Idiots, there would be no rock n roll if not for the blues. Rock n roll is not Rush, Kiss, and Chicago. True Rock n roll is Chuck Berry, Little Richard and the such. Look it up. Elvis Presley and the like stole rock. Hell white kids were'nt even allowed to listen when true Rock n roll came out because it was called Race music.

You might as well say blacks aren't "true" U.S. citizens because when U.S. citizens weren't black when the U.S. was invented. Get over the fact that people (and definitions) evolve, man... rock has evolved just as citizenship has.

And Chuck Berry and Little Richard "stole" from the people who came before them. What's your point? Every musical performer and every musical genre builds on what already exists, taking what's there into a new direction. That's just how music progresses.

I'm a black guy too and even I think the old your parroting's pretty dumb.

Hilarious to see all the xenophobes freaking out because a few artists that aren't four white guys with guitars and drums got inducted to the RnR HOF. KISS sucked and they deserve to be excluded, no matter how many wannabes they "inspired" to pick up an instrument.

Apparently the Excitable Boy is not welcome. He should be. As for Jann Wenner, his magazine once called the Allman Brothers "the band without as meesage". He should be condemned to lister to ABBA for the rest of his life.

Oh, WTH, let's induct Karen Carpenter, Celine Dion, and Ann Murray too.
Why don't you people just rename the R&R Hall of fame to what it really is: "It's our club and we'll put whomever we want in it." The Rock hall of fame is pathetic and I applaud the people and bands that reject it. How is Getty Lee going to feel with his band's plaque hung up next to Flava Flav?

per their own biography, Rush started by emulating Yes. Yes sold more records n the 1970's than any other band in the world. They have been performing for 50 years and at one time had arguably the best 5 musicians in the rock world playing together. As long as they, ELP and Peter Gabreil are not in this "HOF" it s a sad joke based on producers infulence.

Here is a link to the awards bestowed upon Rush..... Too many to list here. They may not have won a Grammy, but they have been nominated numerous times. For those that don't know, the Juno awards are the Canadian equivalent of the Grammys.

Despite not being out and out Rock n' Roll, Albert King and Public Enemy both impacted Rock music in big, big ways. They both belong, and I agree with previous posters, I'm surprised Mr. King wasn't already in there.

No Bon Jovi, KISS, the Crue, Chicago...but Public Enemy – are you serious?!?!?!
Congrats to Heart & Rush – no hall complete until Bon Jovi is inducted!!
25+ years, in songwriters HOF, 130 million records worldwide, they have performed more than 2,700 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 35 million fans – new tour 2013 – numbers speak for themselves!!!

Every year the same yammering. Look, you can take this KINDA seriously, but not all that seriously. Basically, HoF status can be granted to anyone ROLLING STONE would write about. It's been open ended for decades now. Someone like Donna Summer appealed to a certain age demographic, whatever her genre. She also had more obviouls roots in more traditional forms of music than, say, Andrea True or the Silver Convention. "Hot Stuff" rocked, whether you liked it or not. But that's not what's important: Randy Newman doesn't rock out either–but he was, broadly, part of R'n'R culture. (We used to call it YOUTH culture, but then we got OLD.) If you're a genre purist, well, God bless ya, but rock culture has been a wide open field since at least the late '60s. Live it or Live With It.

"...It's the next phase, new wave, dance craze, anyways
It's still rock & roll to me.
Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound
Funny, but it's still rock and roll to me"
–IT'S STILL ROCK AND ROLL TO ME LYRICS – BILLY JOEL

Look up the definition of rock & roll and study it's history before making ignorant comments. "Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll or rock 'n' roll) is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s,[1][2] primarily from a combination of African American blues, jump blues, country, jazz,[3] and gospel music.[4] Though elements of rock and roll can be heard in country records of the 1930s,[3] and in blues records from the 1920s,[5] rock and roll did not acquire its name until the 1950s."

It is called the Rock and Roll hall of fame because almost every genre of music has ties back to Blues/Rock and Roll. People think Rock and Roll and think it is a genre. Rock is a genre, Rock and Roll is term that transcends across all genre

I've seen several comments on Chicago not making it- Some saying that they aren't considered R&R..... Maybe they should listen to their first several albums- A pure representation of what R&R was for the 60's and 70's. They will never get inducted as long as certain people are in control of the old boys club- Same goes for some of the other bands that have been continuously omitted year after year.

Another reason to ignore these festivities. That a group such as Rush – have nothing against them necessarily – is to be inducted and the much more highly influencial and proficient Paul Butterfield Blues Band is again ignored is ridiculous.

Donna Summer while I like her, was only elected because she recently died. Not because she is part of Rock and Roll. There are so many other groups that are true rock that are neglected. This Hall of Fame is really a Hall of Shame. Who elects these people/groups, 20-30 somethings?

It's pathetic that Donna Summer was not inducted while she was still alive. For all those people who scream and squawk about a "disco" singer getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she is one of the few (if not only) women in the Hall of Fame to actually win a Rock Performance Grammy.

Heart is awesome and belongs there
RUSH should have been there long ago
Donna Summer – Crazy Crazy Crazy. She doesn't belong there at all.
Where's Chicago? Blue Oyster Cult, etc?
Seems weird to me that a Disco queen would take the spot of one of the great bands

Oh uncool chick your bias is showing. Considering that Summer won a Rock Grammy while some of those dinosaurs you mentioned didn't, I'd say Ms. Summer belongs there way before some group best know for an SNL parody ("More cowbell!").

For every ten bands that SHOULD get in, they let one in every now and then (Rush) and we're supposed to be oh so grateful.

One of the following bands is brilliant, the other just entertaining, but Deep Purple and Kiss in their heyday must account for nearly half of all kids who were inspired to learn an instrument during the 1970s. I know that's the case amongst those I know personally...

As a rush fan i would rather them not get in there.Like lifeson said who really cares–some rush fans were upset-Blondie is in the rock n hall of fame. My father could of been in that band before they made it but he didn't join because he said they were horrible. I

As a rush fan i would rather them not get in there.Like lifeson said who really cares. however,some rush fans were upset-Blondie is in the rock n hall of fame. My father could of been in that band before they made it but he didn't join because he said they were horrible. I don't listen to rush or any other band because of how many records they sold or what awards they got or get.

There is a different between hard rock and rock & roll. Look up the definition of rock & roll and study it's history before making ignorant comments. "Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll or rock 'n' roll) is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s,[1][2] primarily from a combination of African American blues, jump blues, country, jazz,[3] and gospel music.[4] Though elements of rock and roll can be heard in country records of the 1930s,[3] and in blues records from the 1920s,[5] rock and roll did not acquire its name until the 1950s."

The Rock n Roll Hall of Fame stands directly opposite to everything Rock n Roll stands for. Any true rocker would defiantly tell them to kiss their ass! But fame now means more than standing for something so our heroes will march up on stage, smile, waive, and accept their little award. Bleeeeccccchhhhhhhh!!!

Look up the definition of rock & roll and study it's history before making ignorant comments. Hard rock, heavy metal, etc are offshoots of rock & roll as is most other popular music. "Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll or rock 'n' roll) is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s,[1][2] primarily from a combination of African American blues, jump blues, country, jazz,[3] and gospel music.[4] Though elements of rock and roll can be heard in country records of the 1930s,[3] and in blues records from the 1920s,[5] rock and roll did not acquire its name until the 1950s."

Whatever catagory Donna Summer is in, they are 6 months too late. They should have gave her a spot in the Hall of Fame long before she died. Its sad singers that pass do not get the Hall of Fame until after the fact.

The RNRHOF is becoming more of a joke with each passing year. Finally, they admit Rush. But come on - disco? Rap? Madonna, a couple of years ago? They're heading radically away from "rock and roll" and inducting a bunch of people or groups that clearly don't fit that description. Notable omissions:

The Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame should be in DE-TROIT Michigan, not freaking Cleveland. I don't care if some D.J. from Cleveland coined the phrase, just look at all the great musical talent that has come from the great state of Michigan.And Disco, Rap? Wattsup with dat!

No question about it....the Moody Blues are not in, but Donna Summer is? That's just ridiculous. I'm glad Rush was finally acknowledged, but a lot of the inductees have little to nothing to do with rock & roll. It sort of cheapens the whole thing. Why not induct Beethoven while they're at it.....

Donna Summer while I like her, was only elected because she recently died. Not because she is part of Rock and Roll. There are so many other groups that are true rock that are neglected. This Hall of Fame is really a Hall of Shame. Who elects these people/groups, 20-30 somethings?

LOL, Peter! Meatloaf, really?
I'm a Jimmy Buffett fanatic but would never claim that he belongs in the R&R hall of fame.
I thought "Rock & Roll" was supposed to mean "Rock & Roll" but I must have been mistaken.

Once again, the RRHOF fails miserably and the twit who runs it shows that it isn't a Hall of Fame, it's a Hall of what he thinks. Where is Blue Öyster Cult? They've been around for over 40 years, they still tour, they had 3 legitimate hits which tops many of the inductees already in the RRHOF: Godzilla, Burning for You and Don't Fear the Reaper plus other great songs like Shooting Sharks and Veteran of the Psychic Wars and many more. Buck Dharma is one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. And they can't get in the ROCK and ROLL Hall of Fame but the "Queen of Disco" can? Absolute proof that the RRHOF is a joke.

Glad to see Rush finally get recognized. Heart also deserves to be in there. Deep Purple was listed as a nominee but didn't make it in again this time. Deep Purple deserves to be in there so hopefully they will be inducted in the future.

HERE NOW! HERE NOW!
.
Jeff Lynne is without a doubt one of the top musicians of all time.
THE complete package: writer, arranger, performer, producer, and he still has it 100%.
Just go look at his recent acoustic performance with Rich Tandy and be amazed.
AND btw why have these ceremonies in LA or NYC?
They already have just about everything else when it comes big-time induction ceremonies and the like.
Make the elites come to Cleveland, as far away from Hollyrock and Gotham as possible.
ANY member of the T Wilburys not already in the HOF is proof of the stupid politics that rule.

Rush is by far the best of all the names. Although you may not like their type of music they are by far both individually, and as a group, excellent musicians. Guess if you listen to Donna Summer you may not like them.

The drummer of Rush is considered one of the top musicians to ever walk this earth. He has influenced so many great drummers including Danny Carey of TOOL, Mike Portnoy of Dream Theater, and Scott Travis of Racer X and Judas Priest.... who are now considered some of the best drummers in music. Sometimes something is so complex it goes over simple minded people's heads. If you think Rush is overrated then you probably just don't get it. Sorry to hear you didn't get blessed with the ability to understand and process complex things. I guess you got the "base model" brain.

I agree! Rush is highly overrated. Do not even put Rush on par with the Stones!!!! Good band but can't listen long, the lead singer's voice is too grating. All the nominees are odd this year! Rap, disco and Rush??!!

Ask MANY current rock start TODAY who their mentors are. MANY MANY drummers today claim Neil is their mentor. Many have said Geddy was, and I have also heard many say Alex was. More than I have heard about ANY band that is still together. Just ask the likes of Metallica, Dave Navarro, Jack Black (if you want include him, lol), Nine Inch Nails, Dream Theatre. That's just off the top of my head. And I would consider all them more talented, except maybe Jack Black, lol, than you and I combined.

So I hate to burst your high and mighty bubble. But I certainly will take THEIR word over yours anyday.

I would like to add, that the person who listens to Rush solely to listen to Geddy sing, does NOT appreciate music. Because the talent portion of the band is in their music, and how hard and technical it is, NOT Geddy's singing. Even HE admits that. Though I do like his voice, but it is not my favorite. But the drums, bass, and guitar parts ARE.

I've been saying for years this hall of fame is a joke. It's a political correctness feel good party that has very little to do with "Rock n Roll". Public Enemy?? really? What a joke. What next Run DMC? Snoop Dog? Sliim Whitman?

Since when was Disco ever considered Rock'n'Roll? I'm old enough to remember the Disco Sucks and Death to Disco t-shirts worn by rockers in the 1970s. I agree with the previous poster, change the name to Music Hall of Fame and be done with the pretense of calling it Rock.

It is late for Albert King, but man – could that man sing! I was slow to find his work, but I can't get enough! I love his voice and the songs he wrote told his story so well. No one is ever going to be happy with the inductees, but all these folks have reason to be there. I don't watch the nominees from year to year, but Randy Newman is a prolific writer, Rush were always good, and Heart (oh, they had my heart!) were great, too.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a useless organization. If the Steve Miller Band hasn't been inducted, it just goes to show you how pathetic the people in charge are. They make our politicians look good. If you are ever in Cleveland, I would avoid the venue.

Oh, and I thought the same thing. I bought the 8 track moving pictures album during Christmas of 1980 when I was 15 years old visiting my father in Miaimi. I remember it so well because his car had an 8 track, and wanted to listen to it in the car. My dad was confused because he had given me a stereo with the NEW cassette player, and wondered why I bought an 8-track, not knowing I already had the moving pictures cassette. Well... I was from S.C, and had a restricted license, which I was not allowed to use in Florida, it was like a permit, I had to have someone with me. But I stole my dad's car anyway, took the top down, went to Miami beach and cranked up my new 8-track of moving pictures. Riding down Miami Beach at midnight with the top down. I was in heaven. 🙂 Except I didn't pick up any girls. 😦 maybe they didn't like Rush? Or probably my zit filled 15 year old puberty face? ")

I think that unless they want to change their name to Music Hall Of Fame I strongly disagree with Donna Summer (she had such a great voice) and Public Enemy (not a fan) – That is like Tom Petty and Crosby, Stills and Nash getting into the Hip-Hop Hall of Fame. Can't we rockers have anything that we can call our own? it's not fair – Long live rock and roll!

So I guess dying is considered a hit for the RRHOF. If Summers deserved to get in, they should have acknowledged her while she was alive to appreciate it. In any case, this show won't come close to the last one, with performances by RHCP and GnR.

Unfortunately dying can happen at any untimely manner so it doesn't really matter rather they do it while they're alive or dead. You can't go. "Hey, this person is gonna die soon, we should do something." That would be terrible. "Hey Donna Summer. We know your gonna be dead soon... Before that happens we would like to induct you before you kick the bucket."

Why would you rejoice over such a nonsensical, meaningless "award"? Lifeson's quote in the article is very telling. They could care less about this crap except for the fact that their "fans" apparently do. On one hand we gripe about how ridiculous this "HoF" is but then we turn around and "rejoice" at the inclusion of our favorite artists...doesn't make any sense.

Politics and i'm guessing money are the reasons. I would imagine there is some effort to recycle inductee music to current consumers. I picture some greedy execs sitting around a big table asking, "What would sell again today given a little exposure?"